Reflection 20

Intersexuality is basically having the termed medically condition of combined sexual differentiation. Some forms of intersexuality are hermaphrodites, female pseudo hermaphrodites and male pseudo hermaphrodites. Each of this has a certain difference, but all have a combination of a sexual gentile or reproductive organ. A Hermaphrodite is a person who is born with one ovary and one testie. Usually at birth it is hard to name place the child as female or male. This makes things rather difficult for the parent and the child later in life. Many arguments come about if the child was named a female then she will forever be female. But what if the person does not feel that way as they continue on in life? Does that make them less human? Some hermaphrodites end up discovering what they really are and change their whole life style. Some that were deemed women end up changing gender assignment to be a man or vice versa. This is very difficult topic to discuss because many controversies come into play with the assignment and choice of the hermaphrodite. Sex is determined by the two sex chromosomes. The male chromosome is Y and the female chromosome is X. Intersexuality is said to be caused by genetics. Some of the reasons are: by rare hormonal levels during pregnancy, and sometimes by unknown causes. It’s very hard to find the proper explanation for why this happens to only a same group of people. Some also find some comfort in surgeries. These can help the physical appearance look more like the sex they “feel” they truly are. Others may not decide to go under the knife. Being in that position seems incredibly difficult to handle. Not knowing who you really are, or being accepted for the way you feel you are, would be very hard for me to cope with. I applaud those people who have the strength to be who they know they are. By reading this assignment I got a lot more knowledge on a subject that was strange to me. It is very useful because now I know enough to keep me educated on this topic. I become more interested to research this into more depth. I am open minded to the stories that I found about real people who are going through the sexual identity confusion. The stories are very detailed and insightful to what it is like being a hermaphrodite.

Reflection 19

When talking about homosexuality, you can see that many people tend to shy away from getting into how they feel about it. Not me. I am very open to my views on homosexuality. Based on what I know, I do not think there is a “cause” for homosexuality. Homosexuals are not caused to feel a certain way about the same sex; they have an emotional and physical attraction to them and are merely what anyone would feel about the opposite sex. They feel an erotic orientation when coming in contact with the opposite sex. To me, that is not strange whatsoever. Who are we to tell someone who it is right for them to get sexually aroused by? I think homosexuals are that way maybe from birth or when they begin to discover feelings during the earliest time of childhood. What makes homosexuality so hard is the reaction they receive from others. It’s a scary world out there and some people aren’t as accepting as others. I know that I would be afraid to show who I really am because of the way I would be treated. Homosexuals are discriminated against more and more each year. That’s why I agree with their demands for civil rights. Nowhere in the constitution does it say that because you love someone of the same sex, you will be denied your natural born rights. Religion and politics try to get together on this particular discussion for no apparent reason. Some religions where based on homosexual experiences, not because they were gay, but because it brought them closer as men. Homosexuals have been around for a long time, yet we still act like this is something new and scary. Everyone should take the time to be educated on this subject matter, whether they are homosexuals themselves, straight, and even gay non-supporters. My views on homosexuality have always and will always be the same. I was raised catholic; I complete disagree with the way Catholics are teaching everyone to condemn the gays. In my form of Catholicism, I was taught to love everyone no matter how different they were. Why is this situation any different? Why should we shun the children of god away? I have no right to exclude them from anything. To me, they are just normal everyday kind of people. I see so many forms of hypocrisy and would love to see the day that the gays are treated with respect any human being on this earth deserves.

Assignment #2

This assignment was a little confusing to me. I really didn’t understand what taking these surveys would prove. I know a lot of myself and where I stand with most of these situations and opinions. The mind body and spirit survey asked questions about what I thought about the different theories of the human ego. Some of the questions were very hard to understand at first, but with deeper reading the meanings were much more understandable. It went through many of the theories we have talked about in class. It basically focused on the theories of Freud and his ego, superego teachings. By looking at my results, you can tell that I really didn’t agree much when it stated that the human feelings and emotions are only chemical reactions and imbalances in our bodies. I don’t agree with that what so ever. I am more of a believer that emotions and behaviors are dealt with differently because of personality differences.
One of the surveys that I enjoyed taking was on the Core beliefs. It asked statements about what I learned from my parents. It gave me two different statements and I had to choose which one fit better with my parents’ teachings. When reviewing my results, I like the fact that my parents gave me the freedom to feel. They taught me that expressing my emotions was the best way I could live. They also taught me how to respect everyone, no matter who they were or what they do. They taught me to think and to create, not only by what they have instilled in me but what I came up with on my own. My mother and father also taught me never to be afraid of knowledge. I should never hide my intelligence or dumb myself down for anyone. No proper situation would call for such a matter. I should be ashamed of who I am. I was raised, above all else, to be something. They did everything they could to give me all the opportunities I needed to succeed. This survey was very eye opening. I think everyone should take this survey and really analyze the statements shown. Before I took this survey, I didn’t give my parents enough credit for the way I turned out to be. Not only did they give me the proper starting tools but they gave me the push I needed.
The survey about men was very eye opening. It was interesting to see how some women actually think about men and their position in society. Some of the statements showed were a little over dramatized, but some of them had a hint of truth. If you look at the answers to me survey you will see that I do think men sometimes think they deserve everything just because they are male. Even though most women won’t admit the truth, I am not afraid to point out my opinions. I do believe that men are more about wanting success and power than women are. Men value position and competiveness. Women are more into the emotion and feeling when it comes to most situations. It may seem that I am a sexiest toward the attitudes and beliefs of men, but I am nothing of the sort. This, like in many other cases, does not mean that ALL men are like this. I just think the majority of men I know are like this. To be clear, my opinions have nothing to do with men I do not know or have some sort of understanding for.
When doing the survey about women, I wasn’t in complete shock when I saw most of the questions had to do with emotions, feelings, and a women’s position. It was similar to the survey about men, but it asked more about what a woman is in tune with. I do believe that women are more emotional creatures when compared to men. Most women will not act without analyzing who will benefit and who will get hurt by her decision. Like in every circumstance, there are exceptions this belief. I’m not saying it’s impossible to find a woman who is not controlled by her emotions in that sense. I do think that both men and women make similar efforts when it comes to being successful. How this achievement is done, that is where the difference lies.
The Race survey was a little hard for me to cope with. It is incredible that some people actually think that there is a superior race. This just goes to show you how educated some claim to be. If they were truly educated, they would know that there is only one true race on the face of this earth; and that is the human race. Some of these statements were hard to believe. There were some stupid justifications that people actually agree with. I was shocked, utterly shocked, that human beings could be so judgmental about something they don’t know anything about. There is no such thing as a yellow race or a red race. Peoples skin colors and facial properties do don’t define there personalities, actions or race for that matter. No “race” is unfit for certain situations. Nowhere in any science does it claim that dark skinned men are better at sports, while light skinned men are better in school. These justifications are totally untrue. I think everyone should take the time to really read the survey. If you read it with enough time and understanding, you will see how absurd that way of thinking really is.
The sex and gender survey was sort of like the men and women’s belief survey. I think this survey asked the questions in a more comparative mode. It dealt with things such as gender identity and sexuality and also sexual orientation. By looking at my results you can see that I am very liberal when it comes to sexual orientation. I myself am not a homosexual, but I believe that everyone is entitled to the right to love whom they choose. Why shouldn’t gays be allowed to marry or adopt? There is no evidence that proves they are unfit to be married or take care of children. Most of the times, they are better parents than straight ones. I think it is ok to show the world who you are. Hiding your true sexual identity will only hurt you in the long run. No one should be ashamed of being different. I also believe that gays will not be condemned to hell. Nowhere in the bible does it say that homosexuals will be persecuted. From being a practicing catholic myself, I know that my God is a loving and forgiving God. He loves his children no matter what they do or what they look like. He loves everyone in an equal matter. To bring religious excuses into that argument is just a false justification.

Finally, I took the survey that outlined my political typography. I have taken this particular survey in another class. I came to find that my results have not changed at all. My result said that I am a Liberal. This wasn’t shocking to me whatsoever. Liberals represent 17 percent of the American public, and 19 percent of registered voters. The results stated that liberals have the strongest preference for diplomacy over use of military force. We are Pro-choice, supportive of gay marriage and strongly favor environmental protection. Liberals have a low participation in religious activities. We are also the most sympathetic of any group to immigrants as well as labor unions, and most opposed to the anti-terrorism Patriot Act. This basically defines where I stand today. This clearly defines what I believe in. I am very open to others and what they feel needs to be corrected in this government.
In conclusion, the surveys were not only supposed to let us know a little bit more about ourselves, but to also show us where we stand. Some of the surveys just showed me that my ideals have remained pretty much the same over the last 2 years of my life in college. And some of the surveys helped my redefine and reprioritize where I should be at a mental point. These made me think about how others might answer the questions given. It’s interesting to think that because it shows how diverse the results of the same survey could be. I really hope that people will take the time to do them thoroughly. Yes, it is tedious work, but you will be surprised to see that some are pretty accurate and hit the nail on the head. I have come to understand myself a little bit better than before. Who knows, maybe if I take the same surveys in two more years my results could be the same. Maybe they will be different. It all depends on the information I intake and believe in.

Reflection 18

When reading a tale of Two Islands, I began to understand much more of what I had already known about this issue. Being from Cuban Origin, I Love the place where my family has thrived from. Many different instances have put the U.S.A. and Cuba in very odd circumstances. The relationship between both countries has often been denied, but I know that Cubans might just have it a little easier than Haitians. Both Haiti and Cuba are near Florida in the Caribbean. During 1980, in the Carter Administration, Haitians and Cubans came to Florida on the Mariel. Unlike Cubans, The Haitians were not allowed to apply to be permanent residents. To me, that just seems unfair. What really are the differences and the reasons that justified that law? Just likes Cubans, Haitians were trying to escape a form of persecution and unsatisfied freedoms. I see no difference between the two. If you are going to grant a certain amount of Cubans entrance to the states, the same should be done to the island of Haiti. One reason to justify the passed laws was that Cubans were political refugees trying to escape communism. Communism as we know was one of the United States biggest fears. To have an island so close to our boarder that is based on communism terrified us greatly. Haitians were just trying to escape economic depressions. Just because the country is poor, it does not give the U.S reason to accept them. I think people stereotyped the Haitians just because they were “black”. Being a colored immigrant showed the image that you were low class and uneducated. I don’t think that was the reason the U.S did not let them pass the boarder or let them stay as permanent residence. It’s always easy to play the race card and state injustices that way. This is a totally different situation. I think the problem is much deeper than skin based. Some Cubans are dark skinned or very tanned. If that was the case, those dark Cubans would not have been accepted to stay either. Tanned people are also looked down on. Because their skin is so brown, some assume they work in manual labor because they are uneducated. I think this problem needs to be analyzed more deeply. The problem here is not race. The problem here is merely a political loss and gain system.

Reflection 17

In this class, we have extensively studied what Racism is. All throughout my schooling, I was taught that Racism is not a born trait. It is a trait that is taught thorough the years of one’s life. This class helped affirm that statement. As a child, we are not born to feel hate and racist attitudes toward anyone. On the contrary, as a child we love to explore and look at all the different wonders around us. But as our brain begins to develop, we come to “learn” different forms of discrimination in our behavior. When we are finally engulfed in a school where everyone is a different race, religion or gender, our taught habits come into play. Maybe one day the child was watching the news and saw a black man’s picture as the most wanted. He may think that all black men are criminals and cannot be trusted. Or he heard his mother say something negative about the African American next door neighbors. The media and others help influence this terrible derogatory feeling. The feelings of racism might not always be shown on the outside. Just because one doesn’t see the racism in action does not mean that it does not exist or go one in everyday life. It’s horrible to think that some people think these feelings are normal. Feeling hatred and negative feelings toward anyone is not acceptable in my eyes. People should not condone racism. This is a serious issue that has been around for years and years. This is a problem that is always shoved under the rug. Everyone should at least try to see the world through different eyes. The one feeling the hatred toward the race should take a walk in the shoes of the man he hates. Only then, will he be able to see clearly and justly. I recommend that people should take a diversity class at least once in their life. It can help explain situations and maybe help clear the air for some. Like I have stated before, we are not separate races. We all belong to the grand scheme of the Human race. No one is less important than the next. Everyone has a role to play and a purpose in this world. One of the main reasons I think our world is so beautiful is because we are all so different. The world is an exciting place because it changes constantly. Being diverse is part of way I enjoy living where I do. I walk the streets and see so many different people. I feel that everyone should take the time to step back and see how remarkable our life is due to the factor of differences.

Extra Credit: Emmett Till

The story of Emmett Till is a tragic one; probably one of the hardest stories I have had to hear. I was unaware that this was the main cause of the civil rights movement. If I would’ve known that a mere child’s death was the cause of such revolution, I would have had more of a grander interest in the expansion. Emmett Till was sent to Mississippi to visit his family for a break. He got on the train and headed south. When he got off the train he was mystified by the beauty of the south. Emmett and some of his cousins went to a corner drug store to get something. When they entered the store Emmett was being a little “fresh” with the woman at the counter. When they walked out, that’s when the trouble began. Emmett whistled at the woman and that was the end of that. A few days later, Emmett’s body was found floating the Tallahatchie river. He had been severely beaten, shot, mutilated and tied to a 70 pound cotton gin fan. Emmett’s mother and the police could barely identify the body because of the state of his face. When looking at the pictures of what he looked liked, I was in complete and utter disbelief. He barely looked human. His face looked like melted leather and his body was in terrible condition. I have no idea how a human being could be so cruel and rotten. Emmett was only 15 years old. He was barely a man. It’s scary how three grown men could do that to a child. It is like they didn’t have a heart to begin with. At the trial, they looked like they could care less about what they did. They smirked and smiled at camera because they already knew that a white southern man would never be convicted for killing a nigger. The way they spoke about the blacks in the community, was like they were speaking about worthless cattle. Emmett’s mother would write letters to the Supreme Court and even to the president of the United States and would get no reply. It’s as if the world didn’t care about a little black boy who “fell” into the Tallahatchie. But one good thing came out of this case. Because of the courage Emmett’s mother had, other African Americans raised their voices and forced people to listen. This was the beginning of the civil right movement. I feel such disgust when I think about those murders. The injustice in this case is clear. I hope the world will learn from this mistake. This story should inspire all people to change their racist ways because this can happen to anyone. I hope that when people read about Emmett Till, they think twice about treating different people with detestation.

Reflection 16

Genocide is defined as the deliberate destruction and slaughter of part of or an entire racial, religious or ethnic group. The best example of genocide has got to be the killing of the Jewish people during the holocaust. The holocaust is taught to not be easily forgotten. It is embedded in us as children, that this crime against humanity should never be repeated. The holocaust only happened roughly 68 years ago. This isn’t a long time ago. History books are haunted with the pictures of hungry, sick and mistreated Jews in concentration camps and Ghettos. For me, The Holocaust is the greatest example of a modern genocide. Of course, there are other places that are going through or have gone through atrocities such as the Holocaust. The Ethnic cleansing in Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur are problems our society has recently been faced with. Ethnic Cleansing is when a group is either eliminated from its society by genocide or migration. This involves mass killings and military force for the removal of the unwanted group. In Bosnia, women were raped and pillaged, while their sons and husbands were being forced to watch. Beatings and killings occurred daily on the streets, right outside of homes and schools. Millions more were sent to concentration camps, like the jaws, called Omarska. Many people were refugees with no place to go, no food to eat and no hope to be saved. Darfur has got to be one of the other well known acts of genocide and Ethnic Cleansing. The government abused the people of western Sudan. Mosques and Islamic relics were destroyed daily. Killings, Looting and rapes were common scenes seen in western Sudan. Citizens were not allowed to move freely. There every move was watched and followed. They were told what to do and when to do it. If anyone should disagree, death was the only answer for those who stepped out of line. Reading these passages, I can’t help but think of how ashamed I am to be counted as one race. How can people be so blind and full of hate? How can they sit back and think that what they are doing is right? Living lives full of detestation and anger will only bring about pain and suffering for those who cross your path. I am a firm believer that one day, maybe one day the different people of the world will finally see that we are all part of one big chain. We are all connected by our humanness. Those who refuse to see the connection are just pretending to be blind. I have hope that one day they too shall see the light.

Assignement 1 : Observation

Doing my observations in my field experience school, I have seen many amazing things that the teachers has done in her classroom. Her classroom is very diverse. She has a variety of different races and religious beliefs. Right off the bat, you can tell this group will have very different opinions about things they are learning. One day while in the classroom, I noticed a pattern in her daily assignment routines. When it is reading time, the children all must follow along and read out loud in unison. They follow along with a tape of the story being read to them correctly. I think this is a brilliant idea because not only does the child associate the word with the correct pronunciation but it gives them an equal chance to read aloud. No matter what type of story was being read whether it was fantasy, fiction, nonfiction or poems, the children were encouraged to express what they personally thought of the story. The teacher uses her knowledge and education to treat each of the children with love and respect. She treats them with equality yet acknowledges that they are different. She does this by making examples of how they can integrate their ideas. When it comes to gender, you can see no discrimination. Each child, no matter boy or girl, is given the attention they deserve. When the classroom begins to get unruly, the teacher does not exempt a child based on race, religion or gender. If the class is behaving in a bad manner, those who started it will get reprimanded. I also noticed that everyone does the same amount of work. No student is given special treatment because of race, gender or religion. She also uses a wide variety of materials. She finds a way to blend in all the types of learning so every child’s needs are met. For those who are visual learners, she shows pictures, gives textbooks, charts and visual aids. For those who are kinesthetic, she uses puzzles, arts and crafts and hands on activities. For those who are more auditory, she reads or has tapes of readings already made. Each child’s need is met in her classroom. If she only used one style, there would many students who would fall back because they need different direction. I like the way how she uses each of these learning styles to increases the education for everyone in her classroom. I can tell her students enjoy being there because she gives them all the attention they need. I have never once seen any of the students upset or fell neglected by her. The children are always excited to do the next subject because they know it’s always going to be something different. I feel honored to be able to observe this teacher. I hope that I can take what I have seen and in the future, bring it to my own classroom.

Reflection 15

The Holocaust was a terrible crime done upon the human race. Jews were treated like vermin and disregarded as a race itself. They were considered sub-human in the eyes if Nazi Germany. Sub-humans are weak, thieves, money hungry, corrupt and above all else, impure. Nazi Germans saw themselves as the only ones who can rid the world of these leeches. Whenever I read something in relation to the Holocaust, I can’t help but feel ashamed and hurt. How can human beings do such a thing? How can human beings watch the torture they ensued upon the Jews? They were throw into gas chambers the resembled a bath house. Jewish women and children were deceived into believing they were finally going to take a shower. The Germans would watch as the women and children suffocated to death. Claw marks are still seen in the concrete walls for the gas chambers today. They were thrown into small barracks filled with sickness and lice. They hurt and dying were sent to the “doctor” in the concentration camps. The doctor would then do false amputations and give them medicines The Jews were used as lab rats to test effects of chemicals and other medical things. They would burn them with acids and leave them to die. This doctor did nothing to try and save them. He would then make his diagnosis and either send him back to his barrack or send him to the crematorium. Inside here, Jews were burned alive, skinned to make soap or paper. This grotesque action would make anyone squirm in their seats. I get a horrible feeling at the pit of my stomach when I read about all these monstrous actions. What kills me the most is the fact that people think this did not happen. That the Holocaust was just set on a Hollywood stage to bring support to the war. To these people, all I have to say is that they need help. How can you deny so much evidence and documents that fully support the truth? Just because of the intensity, doesn’t mean that human beings are capable of such genocide. They should be encouraged to take a history class and be engulfed in the truth. The most amazing thing about the holocaust is that the Jews just didn’t give up. Still today, they are not keen to let anyone forget the past. They know they didn’t deserve this destruction and ill treatment among their people. They knew “Jew” was not a race, but a religious belief. They ultimately belonged to the one TRUE race, the human race.

Reflection 14

Before reading the passages I already knew a lot about prejudice. To me, Prejudice is a big issue in the world today. Many people just ignore the fact that it is one of the main issues. They have no knowledge to what prejudice truly is and how it is created. We are not born with the concept of being prejudice; we learn it as children. We learn them as true, validated facts. But they are never truly researched or tested for its’ validity. As we grow up, we are just left with that one understanding about the race. Later, when a situation arises, we then act based on the prejudice learned. Our minds conflict with the prejudice decision and the moral decision. This causes doubt and internal discomfort. As a human, we are known for avoiding situations that are uncomfortable to us. We use forms of denial to better convince ourselves that we are correct. We can go through so many discomforts because of learned prejudice. When we are young, some state that the prejudice actions we take are unintentional because we really do not comprehend what we are doing. But later in life most adults do the prejudice intentionally. Acts of intentionally prejudice are always pre planned. It is part of the individual’s identity. They cannot stand change or difference because they do not fit into a “framework”. I think we need to try and educate those in power. Educators, leaders, business men should be taught how to correctly influence people. They are in great positions of influence. If they influence a group to a certain prejudice, it could seemingly spread to more and more of the population. For years, people have tried to create programs that can help people further understand the damage prejudice can do to us. We cannot achieve success in these programs without looking at ourselves more closely. A good way would be to examine the prejudices we commit. We can questions are minds and ask: is this right, do they deserve this, is it fair, why am I doing this and how can I stop thinking negatively. It is hard process to get rid of learned prejudices. You are going against what was taught and changing a perspective entirely. I personally think that anyone can change their behavior towards someone. Without the proper teaching, these prejudices will continue throughout generations and generations. We must educate and teach people that this will destroy us one day.

Reflection 13

When reading the Article about Understanding the Self, many important concepts pop out of the page. Evolution of the “self” continues throughout our lives even without our consent or knowledge. Like many things, it comes at a different speed and rate for everyone. At first, we grow with the help of the four primary learned input channels; Such as, Auditory Cues, physical sensations, Body images and personal memories. Auditory Cues are things like hearing your own name being spoken, Descriptive language and the use of language itself. Physical Sensations are things like stretching, crawling, rolling, rough touches, gentle touches and loneliness. Body Image is our basic senses and the information being taken in. Finally, Personal memories are the storage of initial experiences that can be both positive and negative. These channels help children become aware of the world around them. They help them to make sense of things on their own accord. Until this occurs a child is not seen to have a self concept. Soon, they begin to try and define themselves. They may use gender, hair color, eye color, age, size and anything they can find to be categorized. They begin to know who they are and be known be their name. As experiences begin to enter the child’s life, their minds are broadened .They begin to understand the world and place themselves as part of that world. When reading about Transformation, I really got interested when I read about how we reinvent ourselves. People take their experiences, all the good and the bad, and try to see ways to make them into a truth about them. No one in the world likes to feel weak, rejected, unwanted and plain Jane. So, we take the blandness and transform it into a precious gem. We do this to triumph over any obstacle that stands in the way of our future and success. We try to reinvent our identities. Some reinvent themselves all together, while others can merely do some small alterations. By doing this, self esteem and self concept can change as well. After your “new self” is presented to the world, it may be accepted and appealing to a lot more people. This acceptance will make you feel 100% better than what you did before. Therefore, it will increase your confidence. You will now walk with your head held high, be positive and cheerful. Change can be a good thing at some point in life. All we need to do is embrace the world around us for what it is.

Refelction 12

Sigmund Freud is probably one of the most known men in the field of psychology. His very intensive and descriptive work are still widely used and accepted today. Despite his popularity, many people don’t deem his work to be such genius. Freud’s theories on personality are by far one of the most studied theories’ today as well. In his theory he explains that humans are driven by emotions and behaviors. Sex and aggression are the major factors of this study. They are the base of the motivation that all human beings experience and use. Sex isn’t the sex definition that it is today. Sex is meant in the means of procreation and giving life. Sex is needed in order to continue lineage. Like in animals, sex is the primary source of survival. Aggression on the other hand is said to be our “protective” instinct. It is the drive for us to procreate and to ensure survival and safety. At birth, according to Freud, We are all born with ID. This ID, allows us to get food and be known. Example, when a newborn is hungry, he will cry out to be fed. The child will also do this when it is cold, tired, thirsty, emotional, etc. after a few years the child will develop what Freud calls EGO. EGO is different from ID because it focuses on the reality. They tie hand in hand because now reality comes into play. The needs of the ID are still met, but now there is reality in the equation. Example, a child might cry for food at 2 am, but they parents are asleep and therefore reality sets in. Around the ages of 5 years old, the child will develop SUPEREGO. This is developed as a moral part tied with our parents, guardians or caregivers. The superego helps the human decide what is right and what is wrong. The human Psyche is modeled like an iceberg. The Unconscious on the bottom of the berg, is the ID. The Non conscious, ties in with the Ego as a free floating among all the levels. The Preconscious state is related with the Superego. And finally, at the tip of the ice berg is the Conscious state of the Human Psyche. Personally, I really find Freud a little hard to swallow. He was very sexist when it came to understanding and portraying the role of women. He was very male dominate in his studies. This makes it hard for me to be keen on because as a woman, I want to find something that is not excluded or expelled from the theory because of gender difference. I also find that the personality theory is a bit primitive and animalistic. But with personal feelings aside, I can compare it to real life. Looking at people all around, you can see a hint of primitive behavior even in the most civilized of places.

Reflection 11

To me, being a teacher, the most important thing would probably be to create a safe learning environment for my students. I think that creating a space were children feel safe will help them branch out further. If they are introduced to the world having great confidence and opinion skills, they will be untouchable. As a teacher, I would help provide a space where they can be “free” to express what they feel about absolutely anything on topic. I remember my 7th grade teacher was an eccentric woman. She didn’t believe in confining her students to a desk all day long. We were allowed to sit on the floor, sit on a rug or even sit on the desk will dong our work. She would let our creative juices flow and wouldn’t want anyone to hold back what they were feeling. I remember when we were learning about the Holocaust, she made the classroom into a gas chamber. She blind folded us and asked us to reflect and go through the emotions the Jews might have felt in that same situation. People cried, screamed, or stood silently and took in the atmosphere. I will never forget that experience. I learned so much because I was in control of what I was learning. I was never told that was I was feeling or creating was wrong. She taught us that every human being has a wide set of emotions, but how they are expressed is what makes everyone beautiful and different. Everyone was accepted for who they were. Everyone in that classroom was united. We were like a family. We went through so many emotions and challenges that even if we were all different races, religions and genders, we all had a common ground in her classroom. As a teacher, we should be able to show the students that differences don’t matter. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to flourish and grow. Teaching children at a young age that they matter will increase their chances for survival in the real world. They should never be put down or shoved to the side because they are “wrong”. We should instill the knowledge they need in order to discover they truth for themselves. I know this job will not be an easy one, but overcoming the challenges will make me a better teacher. One day I hope to make an impact on my students like she has made on me. I want to be one of those teachers that you never forget.

Reflection 10

Teaching for inclusion got me very hooked. From the first paragraph, you can already get a sense of what kind of information will be present in this article. It tells you the importance of teaching the individual regardless of gender, race, religion, environment, class status and any other ridiculous factor that may make a child different from any other. You must take the chance to get to know your students on an individual level. Like trying to get to know their dreams, likes, beliefs and values. Support them in exploring new things yet not disheartening them in the things they already enjoy. No matter how perfect you think your classroom is, there is always going to be problems to deal with. As a teacher, we should never stereotype our students. If we wrongly stereotype someone, they could feel like they aren’t good enough or smart enough. These problems aren’t always seen. For example, religion and sexual preference is not always known off the bat. One must be sensitive to the fact that it is unknown at the moment. Be aware and look for warning signs. The reading suggests that giving a questionnaire will help you realize who is struggling with such issues. As a teacher, you want your classroom to be a healthy environment. It should be a safe zone for your students. It can be place where they can express who they are and be open to discussion. Your classroom rules should include something about not allowing hurtful name calling or slurs. If stated at the beginning, it can avoid problems in this nature. When making the rules, you should be conscious about what could happen if the rule is not in place. You could state that name calling, making fun of, or teasing will not be tolerated on any means. Another important factor is that as a teacher you should never single out a student. For example, if you are talking about Mexican migrant field workers, it would be a wise decision not to call on the Mexican child if you know they will feel on the spot. Take that opportunity to call on someone whose opinions have not really been heard in the classroom. It offers a lot of in depth explanations to questions most teacher might have when dealing with diverse populations. I learned a lot of ideas from reading this passage. I myself work in an environment where all the children are 100 % different from the next. I can harbor in some of these ideas to make their time and space much more welcoming. I think every teacher, no matter how diverse their class might be, should take the time to read this.

Refelction 9

While reading Transformation: Awareness and Consciousness, you get the sense of trying to understand personal and cultural knowledge. It’s tough to understand if one does not have an open mind to the complexity of the reading. I had a hard time trying to understand it myself. To simplify it, I broke it down to simple definitions and explanations of my own .Awareness are complicated to explain. For example, you can’t really explain what life is or what electricity itself looks like or is. So what is it to be aware? I think awareness is like wakefulness. You are on your guard and your senses are high. You know and feel what is around you and that is what makes you “aware” of your surroundings. Bing Aware is a fundamental part of being a superior observer. Doctors, like a man named Chopra, Say that awareness is like a force field or energy field that is unseen but it is felt when present. Then things get complicated. The reading starts to intertwine Quantum mechanics and physics into the definition of awareness. This immensely complicated science was studied by great men like Albert Einstein and Neils Bohr. To them, both energy and matter are particle and wave based. This means that anything subatomic can be seen with an advanced microscope. But awareness cannot be seen? Or can it. Consciousness is not the same as having awareness. Consciousness is sort of like a level of awareness. One can be conscious and unconscious. But at some point between you enter awareness. Conscious is mental and awareness is not mental. It does not require you to use your mind to feel surroundings. Creature consciousness, transitive consciousness and state consciousness are some subdivisions to a greater explanation of consciousness. From here on out the reading gets a little more complex. To a man named Wilson, we have 8 different levels of consciousness. I found two of them rather interesting. For example, on level 0, our bodies become paralyzed and we drift into the dreaming state of mind. On level 6, called transcendent level, we begin to connect higher in the awareness scale. The experience is mind blowing and makes you feel as you have reached a euphoric state of mind. At this point you feel successful and as though nothing can stop you. I liked reading this because it got me to see a point of view of something I have never really been interested in. It is amazing to see the different types of opinions and the same exact subject.

Reflection 8

My mother and father always taught me to love myself, no matter what anyone had to say. People are always going to have something negative to say about you. Whether it’s about your skin color, religion, social class, sexuality and gender. They both showed me the beauty and the cruelty of this world. Growing up, I went to Private school all my life. That doesn’t for one second mean that my family was wealthy. When I turned 4, my father was arrested and taken to jail. He was there for 8 years. They took everything we had. We were forced to move back into my grandparent’s house because my mother didn’t have the means to support us alone. She worked 3 jobs at one point, just so we could stay in school. Kids would sometimes make fun of me because I didn’t have the best of the best. I was just a young girl, so I really didn’t understand why money was so important or why because I was a girl, I was expected to have certain things. At this point, everyone was going through there puberty stage, but not me. So I wasn’t counted as one of the “girls”. I was always playing with the boys and being ostracized by the girls. The media tells people that if you have boobs and beautiful hair and all these fancy things then boys will flock to you. Not everyone grows and changes at the same time. Magazines showing skinny and “perfect” are making young girls want to grow up to fast. They try to act like them; dress like them and even change their whole outlook just to fit in. TV shows are showing over sexualized woman. Girls begin to think that if they want boys to notice them, they need to be sexy and flirty. They throw their childhoods down the drain and replace them with a fake lifestyle. Nowadays, it’s not shocking to hear about a 13 year old already having sex with multiple partners. When I was 13, I was still playing dolls and dress up with my friends. I look around me and I’m scared what my daughter or son will have to deal with in the future. I’m glad my parents taught me that “when it’s my time to grow and shine, the world will not turn and leave me behind.” There is a time and place for everything. Parents need to be more open with their children and let them know this as well. Without some control, situations like these can get worse in the time to come.

Reflection 7

There are many cultures in the world today. Though they are different in many aspects; they share a common ground, a rite of passage. Reading the three stories, I was in shock to see how, for example, in facing Mt. Kenya, girls and boys become part of a tribe. In my culture a girl goes through a quinceanera. This is a coming out party for a 15 year old girl. This welcomes the girl into society as a young woman. But in facing Mt. Kenya, it wasn’t so sweet. The girls are basically mutilated. Even though it might bee seen as an atrocity to me, in this story it seemed like an honor. In the Gikuyu tribe, this is the way they establish there womanhood or manhood. The ceremony brings the tribe together and almost everyone is involved in it. They have special rituals and dances in order to celebrate the coming of a new person into the tribe. On the other hand, in sitting quietly, a boy talks about his experience becoming a man. They would have to enter the forest and hunt the forest thing, only then would they be deemed a man. The ones who were going through initiation would have to sleep in one house together. They would gather around and listen to the sounds of the forest at night. There was no room of crying or sadness, they had to show the elders they were men. They would cross the threshold of a woven fence and were faces with the forest thing. Only those strong enough to defeat him were allowed to stay. Once they were accepted, they would live on the other side of the wall for four years. They called it the world of men. The Sambia from New Guinea were interesting as well. They were simple farmers who were sometimes nomadic. The sambia believed that male semen is the source of life. In order to get the semen to work properly, they must go through a sort of initiation process. They live in the men house for 10 years and learn the secrets of the men. They teach them to have fellatio with other men, telling them they must swallow the boys semen in order to strengthen there own. I was very disturbed when reading this passage. I am all for the respect of everyone’s culture and individual rites of passage. I thought this was rather grotesque and saw little connection to education. one thing they do have in common is the way the elders teacher the younger ones to pass on the tradition.

Reflection 6

The Little rock nine will forever be remembered in history for their outstanding courage. The little rock nine were a group of black teenagers in 1957 from Little Rock, Arkansas. They were trying to enter Central High School. When they made their first attempt, they were barricaded out by the national guard. This was because schools were going through the integration process. Blacks were now allowed to cross into all white schools. Most of the blacks were bused from their neighborhoods to the white communities. Many people had difficulty accepting this change. Emotions and characters were going to be challenged. Even though integration laws were passed, many of the white town members did not think it was right. The nine black students attempted once again to enter Central High. This time they were surrounded by angry town folk , students and police. They all lined up at the entrance waiting for their chance to scream obscenities at the nine. They held their heads high and continued on there way. People were shouting horrible things at them, throwing things and just hollering to scare them. Many times they feared for their lives but still maintained the composure to continue going to school. Once of the nine was so fed up with all the taunting and cruelty, she dumped her chili on a white student and was ultimately suspended from Central High. I would have been scared to death if I was one of the nine. Walking toward the school, surrounded by gunmen and angry rioters would make me feel as though I was walking to my death. I would never have been able to sustain enough composure toward those who taunted me. I probably would have been suspended like the girl. I have a hot temper when it comes to teasing and disrespect. I would’ve gotten myself into a lot of trouble with my big mouth. I look up to the nine for being able to get through such a horrible time. It would have been such an amazing sight to see. I hope that people learn a thing or two from the Little Rock Nine. Instead of being so caught up in our world, we should stand back and take a look at what someone else is going through. We can find strength and motivation from stories like the Little Rock Nine.

Reflection 5

Culture is a very complicated subject to learn about. Everyone has a different opinion to what “culture” is. The set definition of culture is that it is a set of behaviors, actions and commonly shared things in a defined social structure. A culture has it’s set of behaviors, rules, regulations, etiquette, beliefs and ways of communication. Some people think certain cultures are elite and better than others for ridiculous reasons. There has always been animosity between people of different cultures who try to find superiority in one way or another. Others deemed some cultures were either completely low, like savages or barbarians, and other claimed to be civilized. But how can one be “civilized” if they call others degrading names such as a savage? To me, that is not being civilized at all. On the contrary, only a savage man would claim such atrocities because of silly cultural difference. Adolf Hitler was one of these “civilized” men. He claimed to simply being cleaning the world of impure savage culture known has the Jews. He used a made up science called eugenics for the basis of his discrimination. He would use this process to cancel out the unfit. He would use this information for breeding. He did not want to pass on an unfit gene to a superior raced person. All this was done because his culture claimed superiority over the Jews. Without being open-minded and taking the time to learn about the beauty in every culture, nothing would stop another lunatic from annihilating another culture almost off the face of the earth. I have learned that every culture has its beauty. One should take the time to experience a different culture in full depth. They should immerse themselves into it completely to see how it truly is to live as a part it in. Everyone should do that at least once in their life time. School can only teach you so much. In school, you learn the basics. You learn how to except difference. You learn how to use your knowledge to be able to try and not make a biased observation. Something like culture should be experienced first hand. Then you will really determine if you are being biased or not.

Reflection 4

After reading Chapter one in the book, I have come to a better understanding on the term “diversity”. Miami is a city filled with diversity. Everyone here has grown up with knowledge of difference. I don’t really understand why this class is necessary, but I feel that it would help to further broaden horizons. If you are not aware with what a diverse classroom looks like, then this would be a great class to take. If you want to be encompassed in more knowledge of diversity, this would be an excellent class to take as well. This is a great place to grow up for many reasons. Not one person you meet here will be the same. I’ve meet so many ethnic groups, religions, beliefs and it amazes me. I feel that I would be prepared to handle a classroom of diverse students because I am accustomed to being in one myself. I work in an environment as well that is very diverse, not only the students we teach, but the staff as well. I imagine I could handle it very well. When I first started to work at the school, I was a bit skeptical that I would be able to compose myself to fit every Childs needs. We have low income families, middle class families, Mexican, Haitian, American, African American and a wide range of Hispanic races. I would rather teach a group of mixed races, than have a group of solely one. With diversity you get diverse answers. One child might have an opinion about a story and interpret it one way. Then another child might have a totally different perception all together. As a teacher, I would feel rewarded to have such a variety of ideas, expressions, emotions and thought in my classroom. Discussions would be more vibrant. There would be more chance for the student to express themselves and get a chance to interact with someone new. There comfort zones would be expanded and would allow them to let difference in. I think that would be a great experience for any teacher to have. I feel like this class will give everyone the opportunity to see this first hand. It will indulge us in the information we need to accomplish teaching in a diverse population. It will give a chance to broaden our perspectives and to ultimately be the best teacher in any situation.

Reflection 4

Transformation is a process that everyone goes through. Everyone has a point in life when they go through it. The difference is what happens and how it was transformed. When evaluating the reading on Paradigms and paradigms shifts, one becomes familiar with the meaning behind the terms. Paradigms are the basic, yet influential form of mental models. It is the way a group sees or interprets happenings. It is always believed to be the real truth. It is the point of view of the mass majority. For example, in many religions it is a “sin” to have intercourse before marriage. Based on the religion in which you were raised, you feel a sense of guilt if you committed this sin. Even if you convince yourself that it won’t matter, you will always feel as though you did something wrong. To disobey the doctrine will lead to being looked down upon by you God. With religion aside, everything we do is based on what we have learned to be right or wrong. When you’re a small child, your parents instill in you rules, values, morals, etc. In this reading we also get the definition of a paradigm shift. A paradigm shift is when a paradigm starts to lose its influence; past truths are replaces by new information. This leads to the transfer of truth from one paradigm to another. On the other hand, a personal paradigm shift is when the shift is caused by emotional or unavoidable events. This leads us to reevaluate our life and to question what’s real. I have had a few shifts in my life. I went from believing everything I learned in Sunday school, to actually discovering my own meanings to the morals. I believed the bible was stone and that I couldn’t break any of the rules or I would perish. Now I know that it is not true at all. I’ve learned many things are not what they seem. I have learned that I am my own mind. It is ok to question and ok to search for you own truth. As teacher, I think it is important to go through some sort of shifts in your teaching career. Times change; ideas change. Teachers should always be on the look out for information that can change the whole perspective. We are supposed to be open to new and fresh experiences. Who knows, what you learn could possibly be life changing.

Reflection 2

When reading the essay, Transformation: A Beginning, I couldn’t help but feel a bit lost in the opening of the essay. When reading further into it, I got the feeling that it was going to a little hard to comprehend. But some things were much clearer than others. When reading about the processes we undergo, I enjoyed learning how deep and progressive a person can get when undergoing a change. We can choose to change for the better by getting rid of something that can be harmful to ourselves and others around us. We can try and reduce the conflict we have in the matters of the mind so we can be more understanding to differences. In order to go through transformation, we need to be aware and ready. I really admired the example of the transformation of a new born caterpillar going through his biological processes to become a butterfly. I made way for more of a pictured understanding. Its shows a great contrast between the two. A caterpillar and a butterfly are so different from one another. It’s astonishing to see that one turns into the other. If a caterpillar is able to change entirely into something new and beautiful, we could be able to ourselves. In the second essay, Transformation: a context, the above mentioned example was explained in a new light. We are able to drastically change just like the caterpillar. Not so much in appearance, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually. This type of reinvention can raise our awareness and sense of worth. If you do not have self confidence you are merely looking at yourself in a bad light. No one should ever feel like they are nothing. We are all made to be something. Instead of letting all the negative energy effect you every single day of your life, one must strive for the hopes of betterment and revitalization. In order to do this, we must be acceptant toward others differences and opinions. We shouldn’t judge others based solely on appearance. The world is a very large place, with room for variation. If people were all exactly the same, the world would be a very colorless and lifeless planet. Everyone has something amazing to offer. We must be tolerant to these differences. Unfortunately, we are not born with this readiness. As a person, you must have the urge to want to change. To be nonjudgmental, would be the turning point to a new more open-minded you.

Reflection 1

We, as people, have come a long way in the world. We have accomplished three great inventions in the beginning of our existence. First when reading about the prehistoric use of fire, I couldn’t help but reflect on how far society has come since then. Fire was an important tool to prehistoric existence. Fire was not only used as a basic tool for cooking, warmth and light; it was also used as a form of protection. Humans were now in control of something powerful. We were at the top of the survival chain. Evidence has been found that fire was not only used personally, but stone hearths were found along a French beach. This indicates that fire was also used for social necessities. They would around these stone hearths to socialize and to story tell. This could be a form of early education. That was not the only incredible discovery made by early humans. Soon after that, technology began to advance. The creation of the wheel is one of the most important inventions for us. Without this, transportation would never be as fast and productive. We realized heavy objects could not be moved simply by brute force. They began to place logs or grooves strategically underneath an object to roll it into place. Thus, the wheel and axel were created. After this, the world changed completely. Wagons, carts, chariots, and cars were able to be created because of the wheel. This made human life much simpler. Writing is probably the most important invention yet. Without any form of language or writing, we would not be able to communicate through written word. Writing enables us to record important facts, dates and information that can be used in the future. As a pre-teaching intern, I am a bit confused as what this has to do with teaching diverse populations. Like my first class EDF1005, I am a bit perplexed at why we had to read about early man made discoveries. But again, as I read the articles, I began to see why this is an important first step to take in this class. These great inventions helped our race become what we are today. Without any of these we would be lost. That is why I think it is vital to first become familiar with past achievements. Knowing your history and where you originate from, can help you grow and understand things in clearer perspectives. It’s important to see the past before you delve into the future.

Hello there, My name is Yesenia Tejas. I attend Miami Dade College North campus and am an Elementary Education Major. Ever since I was younger, I had a passion for teaching. I had a ratty old chalk board that I would to transform my room into my classroom. I would play dress up and sit my dolls in row as if they were my students. I remember that I was about 7 years old when I told my parents "Mami, Papi, I want to be a teacher when I grow up". They laughed and said you'll change your mind. But look at me now, 20 years old and still on the same path. Working with children is probably the most rewarding job anyone can have. I feel great when I know that I have helped a child learn and grow in knowledge. Not only is this job rewarding, but it is difficult. Your limits get tested, your boundaries and patience level. I have had my doubts here and there, but I have always come back to it. I recently started to work at a private school as a teachers assistant. I can honestly say, that i have found my calling. This job has given me the push i needed to succeed in this field. I struggled in the beginning and doubted that I could do it all. But I pushed myself to the limit. I had strived to achieve it and ended up doing better than I had ever hoped.I know that this is where I belong. No matter the situation, being money or troubles, I know this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. People say I probably won't make it because of the stress or direction of the school system; I know this is where I belong.